[Federal Register: April 12, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 71)]
[Notices]
[Page 18976-18977]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12ap01-96]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Nevada State
Museum, Carson City, NV
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9,
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated
funerary objects in the possession of the Nevada State Museum, Carson
City, NV.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this
notice.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Nevada State
Museum professional staff in consultation with designated Washoe Tribe
of Nevada and California NAGPRA representatives Jody Steele, Janelle
Conway, and William Dancing Feather.
In 1926, human remains representing one individual were removed
from the east side of Washoe Lake, Washoe County, NV, by Paran Flagg.
Mr. Flagg donated these remains to the Nevada Historical Society in
1927. The Nevada Historical Society is an agency within the Nevada
Division of Museums and History. No known individual was identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
The remains were radiocarbon dated to circa 25 B.C. Based on the
cranial form, dental traits, and age of the human remains, this
individual is identified as Native American. Consultation evidence,
tribal oral history, linguistic evidence, and archeological data
indicate that the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California has occupied
the Washoe Lake area for several thousand years. Although one
ethnographic report states that the Washoe abandoned the eastern side
of Washoe Lake for an unknown period of time, this was not confirmed
during consultation.
In 1956, human remains representing one individual were collected
from a talus slope near Airport Way in Carson City, NV, by Carson City
Police Department Sheriff Newton. The remains were donated to the
Nevada State Museum, presumably the same year, after they were
determined to be pre-modern Native American. No known individual was
identified. The 64 associated funerary objects include 2 shoes, shell
beads, a metal ring, rope fragments, fragments of 4 different fabric
types, and a kitchen knife.
The shoes date this burial to circa 1902. Based on biometric
attributes, cranial shape, dental traits, and associated shell beads,
this individual has been identified as Native American. The talus slope
burial site is consistent with ethnographic reports of historic-period
Washoe burial practices.
In 1963, human remains representing one individual were removed
from within the boundaries of the G. Hollister Ranch, Douglas County,
NV, by an unknown individual. The remains were donated to the Nevada
State Museum, presumably the same year, by an unknown individual. No
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
Based on cranial form and archeological context, these remains have
been identified as Native American. Consultation evidence indicates
that the burial locality is near known Washoe encampments and burial
localities.
In 1974, human remains representing one individual were encountered
during irrigation ditch expansion south of Gardnerville, NV, on Washoe
Tribe of Nevada and California Reservation land. They were donated the
same year to the Nevada State Museum by Robert Frank, Washoe Tribe of
Nevada and Reservation tribal chairman. No known individual was
identified. The 1,307 associated funerary objects include watch and
watch chain fragments, 15 buttons, 1,266 glass beads, 1 coin, 17
leather and shell fragments, 1 basalt flake, 3 wood fragments, and shoe
parts.
The associated coin dates the deposition of the remains to circa
1892. Based on the geographical setting, dental traits, and associated
funerary objects, the remains are identified as Native American.
In the 1970s, human remains representing one individual were
removed from an unknown location in a residential section of Sun
Valley, NV, by Nevada Archaeological Survey staff A. Jensen. The
remains were donated to the Nevada State Museum during the same time
period. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary
objects are present.
Based on the burial context indicating a prehistoric burial, these
remains are identified as Native American.
In 1983, human remains representing one individual were removed
from the vicinity of Clear Creek, Carson City, NV, by Nevada Division
of Investigations staff Mr. Compton. The remains were identified as
premodern Native American and donated to the Nevada State Museum by the
Nevada Division of Investigations. No known individual was identified.
The 47 associated funerary objects include a metal Levi Straus clothing
stud (patented in 1873), leather, cloth, metal fragments, and a glass
button.
The associated funerary objects date the burial to post-1873. Based
on geographical location, cranial shape, and dental traits, this
individual has been identified as Native American.
In 1984, human remains representing one individual were exposed
during private construction near Genoa, NV. These remains were donated
to the Nevada State Museum the same year by an unknown individual. No
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
[[Page 18977]]
Based on cranial form and a burial context associated with recent
geological sediments that indicate a late prehistoric date of
deposition, the human remains have been identified as Native American.
In 1987, human remains representing one individual were discovered
in a private gravel pit near Dayton, NV. The remains and objects were
donated to the Nevada State Museum by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office
after identifying the remains as premodern Native American. No known
individual was identified. The 1,079 associated funerary objects are a
shoe, a silk scarf, a safety pin, a large locket, 3 embossed brass
ornaments, a ribbon, 3 finger rings, 2 ceramic buttons, 42 large glass
beads, approximately 1,000 glass seed beads, 15 fragments of red and
black fabric, 7 fragments of an unidentified ornament, 1 steel bracket,
and a sample of decayed wood or bark fragments.
Craniometric analysis indicates that this individual was of Native
American and African-American descent. The shoe suggests that the
remains date to 1874-1908.
In 1987, human remains representing one individual were removed
from the east side of Washoe Lake, Washoe County, NV, by an unknown
person. These remains were donated to the Nevada Division of State
Parks by an unknown individual. The Nevada Division of State Parks
transferred the remains to the Nevada State Museum the same year. No
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
Based on cranial form and archeological context, these human
remains have been identified as Native American.
In 1994, human remains representing one individual were removed
during archeological excavations by Intermountain Research, Inc. staff
under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers at a site on private land near Carson Hot Springs, Carson
City, NV. The remains were donated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
to the Nevada State Museum the same year. No known individual was
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
Based on the archeological context the remains are identified as
Native American.
In 1997, human remains representing one individual were removed
from a construction site at Taylor Street, Reno, Washoe County, NV. The
remains were donated to the Nevada State Museum by the Washoe County
Coroner's Office after determining that the remains were premodern
Native American. No known individual was identified. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Based on cranial form and archeological context, these remains are
identified as Native American.
Consultation evidence, tribal oral history, linguistic evidence,
and archeological evidence indicate that the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and
California has occupied a traditional territory in western Nevada for
over two millennia. The human remains and associated funerary objects
described in this notice were removed from 11 geographical locations
within this traditional territory. These human remains and associated
funerary objects all date to the last 2,000 years. There is no evidence
to contradict this.
Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Nevada
State Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(d)(1), the
human remains listed above represent the physical remains of 11
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Nevada State
Museum also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(d)(2), the
2,497 cultural items listed above are reasonably believed to have been
placed with or near individual human remains at the time of death or
later as part of the death rite or ceremony. Lastly, officials of the
Nevada State Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(e),
there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably
traced between these Native American human remains and associated
funerary objects and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.
This notice has been sent to officials of the Washoe Tribe of
Nevada and California. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains
and associated funerary objects should contact Dr. Alanah Woody, Nevada
Division of Museums and History NAGPRA Coordinator, 600 North Carson
Street, Carson City, NV 89701, telephone (775) 687-4810, extension 229,
before May 14, 2001. Repatriation of the human remains and associated
funerary objects to the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California may begin
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: March 28, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-8988 Filed 4-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F